It's already September which means one thing: it's almost Halloween. The greatest annual holiday is almost upon us and it's time to get spooky!
Everyone is familiar with what happens on Halloween. Kids get dressed up as a beloved character or favorite profession and ask strangers for candy; college students get dressed up and have another excuse to spend too much money on clothes, alcohol and chocolate. But where did Halloween come from, what are the original festivities and what are the best ways to get in the spooky spirit?
Halloween wasn't always a day to dress up and eat as much candy as your body can handle. It originated from the Celtic holiday of Samhain when the Celts would celebrate their harvest and the end of the year which, according to their calendar, was November 1st. They believed spirits would roam our world on the 31st, so they left gifts like food and wine on their doorsteps to keep the souls at bay and would wear masks to "blend in" with the ghosts. Pagans also used this day to honor the dead, as legend says the "veil" between the world of the living and the dead is at its thinnest, hence all the hype over ghosts and poltergeists. Later, Christians took over and moved All Saints' Day - or All Hallows Day - from May 13th to November 1st, making October 31st All Hallows Evening which later shortened to All Hallows Eve and eventually Halloween.
The origin of our most beloved Halloween tradition, trick-or-treating, has a couple different stories. One belief is that it stems from the Celts leaving gifts on their doorsteps for the spirits since they would wear masks to disguise themselves like we do now with costumes. Another stems from the Christians who believed offering prayers for souls stuck in purgatory could send them to heaven. Children and the poor would go "souling," stopping at houses to ask for soul cakes (sweet cakes with raisins) in return for prayers to family members believed to be stuck in purgatory.
If you're like me and Halloween and all things spooky get your heart racing, there are so many ways to get in the spirit of the holiday. Halloween has brought us some of the greatest movies in cinematic history. "Halloweentown," "Halloweentown 2: Kalabar's Revenge," "Halloweentown High," "Return to Halloweentown," "Hocus Pocus," "Haunted Mansion," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Monster House," and "Casper" are the more light-hearted, kid-friendly Halloween movies. For the older fans looking for more of a scare, I recommend "Halloween" (the 1978 original, of course), "Beetlejuice," "Sleepy Hollow," "Trick 'r Treat," "Ghostbusters" (the original or the remake), "The Conjuring," "Ouija," or "The Craft." There are obviously more movies focused on ghosts, Halloween, and the occult, so check out IMDb for more suggestions.
Movies are always great, but sometimes you want something to keep you occupied for a little longer. "Ghost Adventures," "American Horror Story," "The Addams Family," "Supernatural," "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" and, of course, "Scooby-Doo" are some of the best shows to get you in the Halloween spirit. Some of the best music can be attributed to Halloween too. YouTube has plenty of playlists for Halloween-themed songs, like "Thriller," "Monster Mash," "This is Halloween," and "Bad Moon Rising."
Outside of idle entertainment, there are classic fall events like carving pumpkins, corn mazes, haunted houses, and costume parties. Many towns and cities now celebrate the German festival Oktoberfest as well. For those of you looking for something a little more adventurous, Only In Your State has complied a list of the most haunted locations in each state. Make sure to check the most haunted places in your specific state for some fun - and spooky - road trip stops!
No matter how you spend your Halloween, it's bound to be a good time. It's the time to ignore any doubts you have about the paranormal and let yourself believe, if only for a day or two, to truly enjoy the lore. Be safe and stay spooky!
